Senior Brand Strategist

Description

Position Overview

The Marketing and Communications team is seeking a creative and analytical Senior Brand Strategist to join our corporate Marketing and Communications team at Leidos, an innovation company rapidly addressing the worlds most vexing challenges in national security and health. In this role, you will be responsible for shaping, evolving, and growing our brand identity, ensuring consistent messaging, and helping to differentiate us in a highly competitive market. You will work across all five Sectors of Leidos that serve the defense, intelligence, health, and other highly regulated industries.

The ideal candidate will reside in the Washington, D.C. metro area and work out of the Leidos Global Headquarters in Reston, Va. on a regular basis. Preference will be given to local candidates.

Primary Responsibilities:

Corporate Brand Strategy Management- 20% of time

• Help communicate the companys brand vision, mission, and positioning in accordance with corporate goals.
• Develop and execute plans to establish and maintain a strong brand identity, including positioning, messaging, and differentiation strategies.
• Conduct market, competitive, and audience research to inform brand strategies.
• Develop and implement strategies to enhance and maintain the reputation and visibility of the brand, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and values.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to develop brand strategies that resonate with customers and key stakeholders.
• Ensure internal and external stakeholders maintain good brand hygiene and governance. LEIDOS BRAND GUIDELINES

LOB Brand Strategy Development- 30% of time

• Help define or refine the brand positioning for offerings across the disparate markets of Leidos while maintaining the masterbrand corporate strategy.
• Develop and execute plans to establish and maintain a distinct brand identity for new or repositioned offerings.
• Conduct market, competitive, and audience research to inform brand strategies.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to develop brand strategies that resonate with customers and key stakeholders.

Brand Architecture & Guidelines- 30% of time

• Maintain and update brand architecture across multiple business units, ensuring consistency of messaging and visual identity.
• Design and implement brand architecture standards for a diversified portfolio of offerings.
• Develop and enforce brand guidelines, style guides, and toolkits to create unified brand experiences for internal and external stakeholders.
• Conduct a thorough audit for internal branding and lead a new initiative to maintain high standards across the enterprise.

Cross-Functional Collaboration- 10% of time

• Partner with Product, Marketing, Communications, and Media Relations teams to integrate brand strategy into product positioning, thought leadership, and campaign initiatives.
• Work closely with internal design teams and external agencies to ensure creative output aligns with brand standards.
• Provide brand-motivated insights for executive presentations, investor relations, and high-profile internal and industry events.

Market & Competitor Analysis- 5% of time

• Knowledge of digital marketing, content strategy, and social media trends.
• Monitor market trends, competitor branding activities, and technological marketing and communications innovations within the category.
• Use data-driven insights to optimize and adapt brand strategies in response to evolving market conditions and stakeholder feedback.

Performance Measurement & Reporting- 5% of time

• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and success metrics for brand initiatives.
• Track and analyze brand performance, providing regular reports and recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Identify opportunities to enhance brand perception, share of voice, and market positioning.

Compliance & Risk Management-

• Ensure all branding and marketing materials comply with Federal regulations and corporate policies.
• Collaborate with legal and compliance teams to maintain brand integrity, especially in classified or sensitive projects.

Basic Qualifications:

• Education/Experience:
  • Bachelors degree in marketing, business, communications, brand management, or related field and 8+ years of professional experience in brand strategy, brand management, brand architecture, or marketing in a corporate or agency environment. Additional years of experience in lieu of degree will be considered.
• Technical Skills:
  • Proven track record in developing and executing brand strategies that meet or exceed business objectives.
  • Familiarity with market research tools, analytics platforms, and design software.
  • Strong understanding of brand architecture, visual identity systems, and messaging frameworks.
  • Demonstrated proficiency creating visual elements and assets that represent and communicate the brand's identity, values, and messaging across various media channels with Adobe Creative Suite.
• Soft Skills:
  • Excellent communication and presentation abilities, capable of articulating brand value to diverse internal and external audiences.
  • High level of organization, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines.
  • Strategic and creative thinker who can transform complex ideas into simple, compelling brand narratives.
  • Team player with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with senior leadership.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 2+ years of brand architecture experience. Demonstrated design skills for briefs. Experience and knowledge in industrial design theories a benefit. Experience working complex internal brand management systems.
• Prior experience working as a consultant or for an agency.
• Prior experience within a highly regulated industry (defense, aerospace, government contracting, pharma, tech, media, etc.)

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.